<html> <body> Joe - And speaking of fallderall (actually spelled falderal, )  did you send the email privately, requesting people fill out a form to be approved to be accepted by your email?  It looks a bit like a spoofing of your email.  I wonder if anyone else got that? More falaffelderal...I wonder what changes Piano-tek made to Chris Robinson's original design and how such changes might affect the use and functioning of the tool.  I have an original, and, thus, wonder if I need to immediately upgrade!! :O Final Folderol...At exactly what stage in the chipping &  initial tuning stages do users employ Strate-Mate?  i.e. after some initial time with piano at 440?  After (or before) any other tapping to eliminate bends, such as at the rear duplex, or front of front duplex?  Both sides of capo bar?  At what pressure (relative) is there concern about breaking strings or agraffes, or about indenting the surface of the agraffe or capo?  Oh yes, and at what distance from termination is the tool best employed? Can't think of any other question, mate. David Skolnik At 11:41 AM 10/23/2005 -0700, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I've been reading all this fallderall and I'm still not convinced that the approaches are the "end-all". I think that a tighter definition of the "set up" is needed. If one is working with a piano that "YOU" didn't rebuild/set up, etc., then the complaints on the Strate Mate are valid. However, if the action was set up correctly, during a rebuild, AND, the State Mate is "square" to itself, then all this dancing around does not compute. I use the Strate Mate as a first strike at making the strings level and to get some of the stretch out of the new strings...nothing more, nothing less. Matching hammers to strings is one thing. Matching Dampers to the strings is a whole nuther thingee, in and of itself. The two do not work as a team, IMO. When one tries to "tie" the two together, is where the trouble starts, IMO! Dampers are a separate issue. One thing that is common with most who use the Strate Mate is TOO MUCH MUSCLE is used, (to the point of breaking strings!)!! It's a! finesse thingee, IMO. That tool has a tremendous amount of mechanical advantage and most should BACK OFF A BIT.<g> REgards,   Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon) Captain, Tool Police Squares R I     </blockquote></body> </html>